"'This is an ugly situation,' Skinner
continues. 'El Salvador is still recovering from civil war and
they're undergoing a serious crime wave. The political situation
is delicate. I don't think I need to point out the...obvious
similarities between this and the incident in Kazakhstan. And at
Ruskin Dam. But a lot of people in high places don't want to
hear about that. They want to put blame on leftover death
squads, or on the crime wave that's been sweeping El Salvador in
the last few years. This is where you come in.' Acute discomfort
crosses Skinner's features. He pulls off his glasses and
polishes the lenses as he talks. 'This has overwhelmed the
Salvadoran government's resources and they've asked the UN for
help. The United Nations has in turn made a formal request to
the United States and the FBI for investigative support. And the
FBI will provide it.'